A/N: So this isn't the most original of story ideas, nor is it the best version. But the moment in the tunnel with Oliver talking to Slade really struck me, simply because of the look of pain in Oliver's eyes when there was no around for him to try to convince of his feelings for Felicity. I know it's short, but I got to the last sentence and realized it was really the right place to end it. For now this is a one-shot, but I may end up adding additional moments between Oliver and Felicity as they come to me. Also, this is my first Arrow fic. Let me know if you'd like to read more!
He thought the hardest part would be telling her he loved her, knowing that she wouldn't know, not right away, that it was part of his plan. He thought the hardest part would be seeing her at Slade's mercy, in danger because he placed her there after swearing he would always protect her.
He didn't know the hardest part would be hearing Slade's voice over the comms, telling him that his plan had worked. He'd fooled Slade into taking her, his secret weapon who would be Slade's undoing. He didn't know how hard it would be to hear Slade sneering at him. "She is quite lovely… your Felicity."
His Felicity. Yes. Of course she was. Was there ever any doubt? He tried to force it down into his subconscious, but just like the rest of his demons, that tormenting knowledge wouldn't quite rest. He refused to allow himself to think about how he wasn't just playing a part when he made his confession, refused to think about the look in her eyes, that flash of hope quickly dimmed by understanding. He refused.
And then Slade Wilson spoke, and realization and acknowledgment bloomed in his brain and his heart with a fury. It was bright and hard and crystal-clear, and it would not be denied. He went stone-still as the words landed like poison arrows, a thousand tiny darts pricking at his skin until the pain seeped in and spread and consumed him. He hadn't known how hard this part would be. She was in danger because he knew she was the only one who could save them all, and he'd put her in the role of hero, of savior. He'd put Starling City above her, and although he knew she would have been the first to volunteer for the job if he'd asked it of her, the fact was he hadn't asked. He'd jeopardized her life before he was even willing to be honest with himself about what it all meant.
Suddenly, it wasn't hard anymore. He would do what he had to do because she believed in him, and he'd trust Felicity to do what she had to do because he believed in her. They would come through this night of pure hell, they would survive, and they would rebuild. Starling. The Arrow Cave. Queen Consolidated.
And maybe they'd build something new, a future together, as well.
Those thoughts were what fueled him as he raced to the showdown that was too long in coming. He would not fail her. He would not fail his city. Not this time.
He was silent as he cautiously made his way through the maze of metal, following the faint sound of Slade's voice. He steeled himself for what he would see when Slade and Felicity finally came into view. He knew it would be a sword, it always was with Slade.
Preparing didn't help. His heart seized when he saw the blade against her neck and he forced his mind to go blank. He couldn't think about that. He couldn't be distracted by his fear and the panic that wanted to burst through and overwhelm him. So he spoke, and he kept his voice level and steady. His gaze narrowed in on Slade's face, sparing only the briefest of flickers to Felicity's to reassure himself that she was ready. In those fractions of a second he saw her terror, her resolve, her calm, her unwavering faith. She could do this, and so could he.
When he spoke the magic words and she launched into action, he finally understood what drove people to hyperbole. He felt as if his heart had literally leapt into his throat, and he couldn't breathe until she was out of the reach of both Slade and his weapon. He attacked then, his mind free of his concern for her safety. The clarity calmed him and energized him at the same time. In his mind he was smiling grimly and his need to put a stop to Slade once and for all, to make sure he never laid a hand on Felicity ever again, drove him to dominate his enemy. Slade had no chance against this Oliver, the Arrow he'd created.
When it was all over, when Slade was subdued and Waller had called off the drone, only then did he allow himself to breathe. His posture relaxed, his face lost the tautness he'd held throughout the whole ordeal. He closed his eyes, and he reached for her. She went into his arms like a homing pigeon and he wrapped himself around her, reveling in the fact that they were both in one piece and not much worse for the wear. Neither spoke. It wasn't necessary. Somewhere along the way they'd slipped into the ability to communicate without words, one of the primary reasons he knew she'd grasp his plan the moment he pressed the cure into her hand. He was never more grateful for that ability than tonight. He breathed deeply, shutting out everything but the feel of her in his arms and the rise and fall of her torso underneath his hands. It was over, and she was safe. Nothing else mattered in this moment.
Regretfully, he broke away from her and gave her a tender smile; she gave him a tremulous one in return. He took her hand in his and squeezed gently before turning to Laurel and Sara to make sure they had come through relatively unscathed as well. The moment was broken, it was time to move on. He was a patient man, though. He knew there would be other moments, and he was content to wait for them.